Method of staining wood and composition therefor



United States Patent 3,311,484 METHOD OF STAINING WOOD AND COMPQSETIGNTHEREFOR John S. Burwell, 9351 Memorial, Detroit, Mich. 48228 NoDrawing. Filed Sept. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 309,863 7 Claims. (Cl. 106146)The invention relates to woo-d staining and more particularly to animproved method for staining and filling wood surfaces and to animproved composition therefor.

The art of wood staining has made use of various dyes, fillers, solventsand other ingredients. Many of the prior art compositions which havebeen used for wood staining have had the undesirable side effect ofraising the grain of the wood. To avoid this disadvantage, hundreds ofdifferent compositions have been suggested and used with various degreesof success.

I have no developed a new type of wood stain which not only avoids anyraising of the grain but also has excellent staining and fillingproperties. My new product is based on my discovery of the heretoforeunknown and unsuspected properties of milk which make it useful as theprincipal ingredient .of a wood stain.

In accordance with my invention, a new and useful method of woodstaining is achieved by applying to wood surfaces a composition in whichthe essential ingredient is milk. Milk not only provides the elementsnecessary for producing the staining effect but it also constitutes afiller for the pores of wood. In addition to natural milk, it isdesirable that the staining composition have incorporated therewith avolatile solvent which is not a constituent of natural milk. Suchsolvent should be one that has a preservative effect on milk and alsopossesses the property of being able to penetrate the pores of wood sothat the milk constituents are also caused to penetrate beneath theouter surface. The solvent selected must be one that does not raise thegrain of the wood when such solvent has .milk incorporated therewith.

The preferred solvent of my invention is methanol. A desirablecomposition is two parts by volume of milk and one part by volume ofmethanol. Such a mixture is stable and can be packaged in bottles orcans and stored without deterioration for substantial periods of time.

The compounds of my invention can be applied to the surface of wood inthe conventional manner for applying stains. When so applied, my newcomposition produces an excellent stain having a color or shade which ischaracteristic of the constituents of milk. When other colors or tintsare desired, my composition may be mixed with conventional dyestuffsthat are commercially available. In this manner, any desirable color canbe obtained.

As previously stated, a desired composition is two parts by volume ofmilk and one part methanol. However, other proportions can be used. Ihave found it undesirable to increase the ratio of methanol to an amountby volume more than equal to the volume of milk. The amount of methanolcan be decreased below fifty percent (50%) by volume of milk but thevolume must not be so low as to eliminate the ability of the compositionto penetrate beneath the surface. In general, it is best to maintain theamount of methanol between twenty-five percent (25%) and ninety percentof the amount by volume of milk.

The new wood stain of my invention has the following advantages,properties and characteristics:

(1) It is made from cheap and readily available materials therebyinsuring low production costs.

(2) It can be made in a very heavy consistency, and can be thinned bythe purchaser with water.

(3) It is odorless.

(4) It is fireproof.

(5) It is harmless to almost everyone.

(6) It can be washed from the skin of its user with ordinary soap andwater.

(7) The stain can be mixed with any brand of tinting materials to makeany conceivable shade of stain.

(8) It not only stains but it fills the pores of the wood.

(9) It is very permanent, attractive, inexpensive and easily applied.

(10) It can be applied to wood paneling, wood trim, wood cabinets andother wood products with the stain and one coat of wax or varnish can beapplied as a final finish.

Instead of using methanol, other volatile organic solvents can be usedproviding that they have the ability to act as a preservative for milkand also for the property of increasing penetration into the Woodwithout raising the grain.

The term milk as used in this specification means a product which iscommercially available under that designation. Normally the term meanscows milk but the present invention is not limited to the milk of cowsbut encompasses any other mammalian milk. I have found skimmed milk tobe satisfactory but whole milk may also be used as well as other milkproducts containing the principal constituents of milk.

It will also be understood that while certain specific embodiments ofthe invention have been described herein, it is not intended thereby tohave the invention limited to or circumscribed by the details givenherein in view of the fact that the invention is susceptible to variousmodifications and changes which come within the spirit of the disclosureand the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A composition for staining and filling wood consisting essentially ofmilk and from 25% to 90% by volume of alcohol having a preservativeeifect on milk, possessing the property of causing penetration into thewood without raising the grain.

2. A composition for staining and filling wood according to claim 1 inwhich said alcohol is methanol.

3. A composition for staining and filling wood consisting essentially oftwo parts by volume of milk and one part by volume of methanol having apreservative effect on milk and possessing the property of causingpenetration intothe Wood without raising the grain.

4. A composition according to claim 1 having mixed therewith acompatible solution of a staining dye.

5. The method of staining Wood which consists in applying to the surfaceof wood a composition consisting essentially of milk and from 25% to 90%by volume alcohol to preserve the milk and increase penetration into thewood without raising the grain.

6. The method according to claim 5 in which said alcohol is methanol.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Gousseff 106148Schmidt 1064 Misaki 106-4 OKelly 106-146 41, page 1355.

Leraas 106146 Price 106147 Selleck 1064 Langworthy 260-120 OTHERREFERENCES Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, July 1949, vol.

ALEXANDER H. BRODMERKEL, Primary Examiner.

D. I. ARNOLD, Assistant Examiner.

1. A COMPOSITION FOR STAINING AND FILLING WOOD CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OFMILK AND FROM 25% TO 90% BY VOLUME OF ALCOHOL HAVING A PRESERVATIVEEFFECT ON MILK, POSSESSING THE PROPERTY OF CAUSING PENETRATION INTO THEWOOD WITHOUT RAISING THE GRAIN.